The Insolvency Service said on 28 September 2026 that around £450,000 in refunds was available for people who paid the £90 debt relief order (DRO) application fee but did not submit their application. The agency urged eligible customers to claim before the end of 2026. The fee was scrapped in 2024, and refunds cover payments made between 2016 and April 2024.

Caroline Shanahan, a senior leader in the service's Personal Insolvency Team, said the agency had written to affected customers several times, most recently in January 2026, but some contact details may have changed since 2016. She said some people may have been struggling financially when they applied, so the service was keen to return money owed to them. Refund amounts vary: some are due a straight £90, while others may be owed more or less depending on whether they paid in full, overpaid or made multiple incomplete applications.

Claims can be made by email to dro.preorder@insolvency.gov.uk or by post to the Insolvency Service DRO Team in Exeter. The service said all applications would be verified against system information to prevent fraudulent claims. A DRO is an alternative to bankruptcy for people with less than £50,000 of personal debt.